Captured by the Navajos eBook

“And certainly,” added Frank, “we
have gained nothing in distance in crossing.
The march is to be short to-morrow.”

“Still, boys, there is quite as good a reason
for doing this as for starting early to avoid the
heat of the day. These Far Western streams have
a trick of rising suddenly; very rarely, to be sure,
but frequently enough to cause commanding officers
to be on their guard. A rainfall fifty or seventy-five
miles up-stream might send down a volume of water
that would make it impassable for several hours or
several days, according as the fall is large or small;
so the rule in the army is, ‘cross a stream
before camping.’”

“Have you ever been caught by a rise, sir?”

“Twice. Once on this very stream, near
its mouth. I was in command of a small escort
to a train. The wagon-master advised me to cross,
but I was tempted by a fine meadow on the lower side,
in contrast to a rough place on the opposite side,
to take my chances. I was compelled to remain
there five days. The other delay was on the Gallina;
but that was rising when we approached and we had
no choice about crossing. We were delayed that
time but two days.”

“I heard the paymaster and surgeon grumbling
about the folly of crossing just now,” said
Frank.

“Very likely; this is their first march in the
Far West.”

“The captain and lieutenants heard them, but
did not explain, as you have. Why was that?”

“There are two reasons. One is that in
the army, as well as out of it, ‘tenderfeet’
are left to learn by experience; the other is that
our surgeon resents being cautioned or advised.
Now, boys, after dinner you had better take a siesta.
By doing so you will find it less difficult to make
an early start to-morrow morning.”

“Thank you,” replied Frank. “Tom
Clary and George Hoey have told us that a nap is the
correct thing after dinner on the march. Henry
and I are going to try it.”

“I am sorry, sir,” added Henry, “that
I was so ill-humored this morning. I will try
to do as the soldiers do when they first start out—­say
nothing till day breaks.”

“The early start was a surprise to you; you
will be prepared for it hereafter.”

A reverberating peal of thunder interrupted our conversation
and caused us to glance towards the west. There
we saw a mass of dark clouds rolling down upon us.
Bolt after bolt of lightning zigzagged across the
sky and from sky to earth, and peal after peal of thunder
crashed upon our ears.

VII

A SWOLLEN STREAM AND STOLEN PONY

It was our custom at all camps to park the supply-train
in the form of an oval, with the tongues of the wagons
outward and the wheels locked. An entrance, the
width of a wagon, was left at one end.

When, therefore, it became certain that a tempest
was about to break upon us, using the boy corporals
as messengers, the chief wagon-master received orders
from me to drive up the mules and corral them within
the circle of wagons, and the commissary stock was
hurried under the shelter of a rocky mesa west of
the camp. All this was to prevent a stampede
should the coming tempest be accompanied by wind and
hail.